Jar opening tool



June 24,1947. w. F. BLA KE JAR OPENING TOOL Filed July 23, 1945 Wi (W70 ZM -d Patented June 24, 1947 OFFICE" 2,422,715 JAR OPENING TOOL William F. Blake, Chicago, n1.

Application July 23, 1945, Serial No. 606,576

This invention relates to a jar opening tool, and in particular to one embodying a flexible gripping device for gripping the screw threaded caps or covers of jars and bottles.

It'is a primary object of my invention to provide a flexible somewhat resilient member that can be applied to the cap of the jar in such a manner that contact is made over substantially the whole periphery of the cap.

It is well known that the screw threaded caps or covers of medicine bottles, Mason jars, and the like are sometimes very diflicult to remove. Various expedients are resorted to by the average householder. Pliers or sometimes a wrench, are often used on small caps, but for larger caps, there is to my knowledge, no simple device on the market which will be of any substantial assistance in gripping and removing the cap. Furthermore, in the case of small caps, such as used on tooth paste tubes, if pliers are used to engage the cap, sometimes the soft metal forming the body and the head of the tube, will be torn, or the exterlorly threaded neck to which the cap is screwed, will be torn from the remainder of the tube.

It is a further object of my invention to provide a device for removing such covers or caps, which can be used on a great variety of sizes of cap, without the necessity of making adjustments in the tool. More specifically, I have found that the device forming the subject matter of this invention can be used on all sizes of caps from less than a half inch in diameter up to a maximum of several inches, as determined by the size of the device. f

The device which forms the subject matter of my invention comprises essentially a rubber strip of considerable. dimensions so that its elastic elongation is limited under the forces commonly used in operating the device. The dimensions also provide a transverse stiffness which permits the strip to be held in the form of a loop extending outwardly from the user's hand, to the end that it may easily be slipped over the end of the cap in question.

A further object of my invention is to provide a cap removing device of the type described which comprises a comparatively 'fiexible'strip of rubber or the like,'but which is also possessed oisuch stiffness as to facilitate the handling thereof.

A still further object of my invention ls-to'provide in a device of the class described,'a means for anchoring thefree ends of the flexible strip to the end that various other tools may be mounted on the anchor in order to provide a device of universal applicability to various types of covers and caps. 7

Other objects, features and advantages will become apparent as the description proceeds.

With reference now to the drawings, in which like reference numerals designate like parts,

Fig.1 is a perspective view of a preferred embodiment of my invention;

Fig. 2 is a plan view'thereof showing the manner in which it is used;

' Fig. 3 is a detail view'of the anchoring means with the cover plate partially broken away;

' Fig. 4 is a section taken along line 4-4 of Fig. 3; and

Fig. 5 is a fragmentary view of a modified form.

The reference numeral l0 designatesa flexible strip, the freeends II and I2 of which-are received within and secured to each other by an anchoring means designated generally by the reference numeral l3.

' The strip I0 is preferably formed of a rubberlike material which is flexible, and somewhat resilient, and which is characterized by a comparatively high coeflicient of friction with respect to metal and plastic surfaces, such as those commonly employed in manufacturing jar covers and caps. The strip is of a greater width than thickness, and it is looped so that the flexing is in the direction of the'thickness, the thickness being suiiiciently great as to prevent buckling of the strip, and the combination width and thickness being such that the strip will project laterally outward when the handle 13 is held in the operators hand.

' A strip possessed of these characteristics will form a loop which is of sufficient diameter that it can readily be'slipped over a medium sized bottle cap, as shown in Fig. 2. By spreading the loop slightly, of course the device can be slipped over covers-oi considerably large diameter.

The operation of the device is shown in Fig. 2; After the loop has been slipped over the cover or cap 21, the ends H and I2 are rotated away from a line passing through the center of the cap 21. In so doing, the thumb which is pressed inwardly toward the cap 21, serves as a fulcrum for the movement of the ends H and I2. This rotative movement tensions both ends of the strip l0 and particularly end I2, as shown in Fig'. 2, thereby causing the strip to tightly grip the side edge of the cap over an area which approaches a full 360 degrees. The resilience of the strip assists in distributing the tension all the way around the bottle cap, and also permits the torque to be applied gradually to the cap. I have found that this gradual application of torque which is provided by the resilience of the strip I0, enables the device to be used on toothpaste tubes and the like without tearing the head or neck of the tube, which parts are generally formed from a soft metal.

By maintaining the free ends II and I2 anchored to each other, the device is always ready for instant use. The anchoring means are shown in detail in Figs. 3 and 4, and comprise a channel I4 having bosses I5 and I6, projecting inwardly from the web thereof. The boss I5 interlocks with the free ends I I and I2, the latter being provided with apertures through which the boss ex-' tends, and a cover plate I! is secured to the channel I4 by means of screws I8 and I9, which take into the bosses I5 and I6. Thedepth of the channel is preferably such that when the screws I8 and. I9 are tightened up, the ends II and I2 are compressed to a certain extent, thereby providing a frictional grip which relieves somewhat the strain on the strip in the immediate vicinity of the boss I5.

The anchoring means I3 provides a convenient means for the anchoring of auxiliary tools, such as those often used in removing jar covers and caps which are not screw threaded. In the embodiment shown, I have provided two such auxiliary tools, the tool 28 being'in the form of the ordinary bottle opener which is also used for certain types of jars, and the tool 29 being ofthe prying type,.the edge 29 being adapted to be inserted between an inwardly directed flange of the cover, and a shoulder on a glass jar. The edge 29 is rotated in the usual manner to exert the required pressure for removing the cover.

The tools 28 and 29 are mounted on steel strips 2| and 22, respectively, which are disposedalong the side walls of the channel I4. A spacing block 20 fits over the boss I6 and servesto maintain the strips 2| and 22 in position against-the side walls of the channel. The cover plate II when screwed in position, maintains the elements 20, 2I and 22 in tight relationship. Additional. rigidity may be provided by a pillar 23, disposed between the strips 2| and 22 at'a point outside of the channel member I4, the pillar being secured to the parts by means of screws 24 and 25.

'By means'of the anchoring device herein described,'the rigid tools 28 and 29 may be associated with the'flexible member ID.

I have found it desirable incertain instances to provide the" flexible member lllwith a series of perforations 26, these being of assistance in gripping a cover which may have surface irregularities thereon. 7

As a modified form of my invention, the strip 30,'as shown in Fig. 5, can be formed from a tube, which preferably is flattened out in the manner shown sometime previous to its final cure. Thus, it retains its strip form, but is somewhat more flexible in the direction of its thickness than the solid rubber strip III. A further modification is provided in the form of a sleeve 3i, also shown in'Fig. 5, of rectangular cross section, and is slidably-mounted on both ends of strip 30. In this form of the invention, the sleeve 3I is pushed up closely against a cap or'cover engaged by the loop 30, in order that the loop may be constricted so as to provide an initial gripping action on the cover. The ends of the strip 30 are then rotated, and the sleeve 3| serves the same function as the operators thumb, as shown in Fig. 2. In extreme cases, the ends of the strip 30 are rotated beyond the position shown in Fig. 5, so that the projection 32 bears against the looped portion of the strip 30 and serves as a fulcrum point for the sleeve 3|, thereby placing a considerable tension on that portion of the strip 30 which is indicated by reference numeral 34 (Fig. 5). A projection 33, similar to projection 32 is placed on the opposite side of the sleeve 3| to provide for operation in the reverse direction. v

In operation, when it is desired to open a jar having a screw threaded cover or cap, the free ends II and I2 of the strip In, in combination with the anchoring means I3, and the tools 28' and 29, serve as a handle, as shown in Fig 2. The total length of these elements is sufficient toafford a good grip on the device. When it is desired to use either one of the tools 28 or 29, the anchoring means I3 forms the handle for the operation of the device. In particular, the provision of the edge 29 which is disposed parallel of. the longitudinal axis of the device, permits the use of 'a pivoting motion in a vertical plane, rather than the usual twisting motion, such as that which might be afforded by a screw driver. Since'the edge 29*" projects transversely from the adjacent edge portions of the metal strip 22, the interior corner of the edge 29 serves as a fulcrum point, and the reduced thickness of the adjacent portions of the metal strip 22 permits those edge portions to clear the shoulder which is provided on glass jars using this type of cover.

The provision of the perforations .26, in some instances, increases the gripping'action of the flexible member II] by as much as 50 per cent.

Itwill be seen that the deviceherein shown is extremely simplein its operation, and it has been found to be much more efficient than other devices of this type. Although only preferred embodiments of my invention have been shown and described herein, it will b understood that various modifications and changes maybe made without departing from the spirit of my inven-' tion as defined by the appended claim- I claim:

A jar opening tool comprising a flexible member doubled back upon itself to form a looped portion, the'free ends of said flexible member being in contact with each other, a channel in 50 which said free ends are disposed, said channel being provided with a tapped boss which interlocks with said free ends, a cover plate fitting 7 within said channel and'over said fre'e ends,'and screw threaded means engaging said cover plate 55 and said boss to frictionally grip said free ends whereby said free ends maybe securely anchored in said channel.

WILLIAM F. BLAKE.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS 

